Printing press



H. C. RYAN PRINTING PRESS Y Jan 6, 1931.

Filed Dec. 2v, 1927 2 sheets-smet 1 m fw ma )DDDQ@DDDBDDDDDDDDDQDDEDD31@ffm Q w S M ,WIQN k Jan 6, 1931, H. c. RYAN 1,787,456

PRINTING PRESS Fil-Qd Dec. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aucun. 3

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 rATENr ortica vnARnrson CALVIN RYAN, or SHAKERnmeimsomo PRINTING PRESS Application filed December 27, 1927. Serial No.242,788.

This invention relates to printing presses and more. particularly tothat type adapted formulticolor work wherein a flat bed having a number'of color plates forms the basis of the press structure, means for inkingeach color Yplate with its particular color is provided and a transferroll is arranged for movement along ways on the bed over the colorplates to pick up the ink thereon, and

`la .to print by depositing this inl: upon a sheet of paper or the likepositioned on a platen plate secured on the bed in alignment with thecolor plates. y

One object of my invention is to form the press bed ofa number ofsimilar units, each adapted to support one plate, and to be arranged inend to enel relation with other press units whereby a press maybe easilyand quickly set up to handle any number of colors in, a minimum 'offloor space, and whereby having a sutlicient number of units on hand thesame may be arranged to form a number of separate presses, each capableof handling a number of colors,v although of course such number would besmaller than the number possible by assembling all of the units to forma single press.

The invention embraces the provision as a part of each bed unit, oftrack ways thereon alongvwhich the transfer roll is guided over theplate of the unit, the ways extending the entire length of the unitwhereby when the units are placed in end to end relation to form `thepress the ways are continuous the length of the press bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide iii-conjunction with theways, novel means for regulating the movement of the transfer rolltherealong whereby firm contact will be maintained between the transfer'roll and the plates.. whereby slippage there between is impossible, andwhereby perfect registry of the roll with each of thc plates will beassured.

Y Y till another object of the invention is the provision as a part ofeach unitof means for supporting aninlring carriage adapted to ink ltheplate of the unit. In this connection the transfer roll is interruptedperipherally by cutting away a portion thereof and timed fl O out ofregistry with the plates, and provision is made to lower each inl-:ingcarriage between adjacent plates; whereby provided an inking carriage belowered, the roll may pass thereover, the cut away portion of the rollclearing the upper portion of the inlring carriage. By such arrangementeach inlring carriage may traverse its plate and the transfer roll maytravel over all of the plates.

By arrangement described a new method of printing is possible, and suchis a further object of my invention. rllhis new method comprisesindividually inlcing each printingr plate with its proper color, inkiugall of the plates simultaneously if desired, and without removing theinlring means from the press moving the transfer roll the length of thebed, first over the inked plates, whatever their number, and then overthe sheetI to be printed on, thus completing a printingcycle. It is alsopossible to arrange a platen plate unit at each end of the press, inl:the color plates as the transfer roll is performing the actual printingoperation over one platen plate, return the transfer roll along thepress and over the second platen plate, and repeat this double actioncycle which doubles the printing speed ofthe press.

lVhere extremes of light and darli colors are to be printed, it issometimes desirable to trim a light color by laying thereover a darkcolor. Where such is the case and the double cycle of operation is to beemployed it is convenient to employ duplicate dark plates each locatedVadjacent one of the platen plates, the lighter color plates beingarranged in any sequence between the tvo dark color plates. Such methodalso is a possibility and object of my invention.

Still another method possible with the use of my invention is that ofsetting up a job in the press including preparation ol'v the printingplates, and is follows: rllhe design of one color is laid out on oneprinting plate which with the others are adjusted and se cured in thepress to properly contact with the transfer roll. The face of the platebearing the design is then cut away throughout the area of one of theremaining colors. The plate is then inked and the transfer roll ein.-

ployed to transfer the first` color area directly onto the nexty colorplate. From the 'second plate is then cut away the inked portion andthat color'area'thereof to beoccupied by all but one of the remainingcolors. The first and second color areas are then similarly transferredto the third plate, whichis also cut away as before. Perfectv registryis thus easily obtained, since the 'plates are not moved aftertheirpreparation until the printing run is accomplished.

Further objects and advantages of myl in'- vention together with theexact nature there of will be apparent from the fellowing'descriptionytaken inv connection vwith the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 isa plan view of a press formed by assembling five of the units lwhichcomprise a part of my invention, thell n end units bearing platenplates, the three'unitsl disposed therebetween bearing each a colorplate of a vthree color design; Fig. 42 is a side elevationof the partsshown in Fig. 1; Fig.. 3 is an enlarged plan view of thefpartsappearingin Fig. 1 portions lbeing broken away to show detailsV of construction;Figl is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, also partlybroken away to show details `ofr construction and Fig. 5is an end viewofthe unit of the press bearing thev transfer'roll :and thereforecorrespondingto a section through the press assembly as-inthe planeoflme 5 5, Figs. 3

and 4; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionas in" the plane of line 646 ofFig. 7,y of one of the platen plate lbearing* units, showing details ofconstructionV thereof and particularly those diering vfrom the colorplate unit ccnstruction; and Fig. 7 platen plate bearing unit shown inFig., 6.

Referring now to the'drawings in which the five units illustrated aregenerally designated by the capital letters A to Efinclusive,

it being understood that theseunitsY are generally of similarconstruction except' as in certain details hereinafter pointed out, the

general construction of each unit is as fel-v The principal structuralparts of the unit are a pair of.longitudinalmembers 1 of channel sectioninterspaced yby Vtransverse a ngle iron members 2 and suitably supportedupon less 3 which may be crossfbraced as indicated.l rlhe assemblydescribed thus comprises a sortv oftable.

In the color plate bea-ring unlas,each cf the transverse members 2 isdrilled to receive.

the shank portion of'a handled adjusting member 4 which has threadedconnecticn with abolt 5 resting upcn the corresponfglingtransverse'm'ember 2 yand prevented'from rotation thereon by asuitableoverhanging portion of the bolt. of the adjusting members l arenot threaded and are faced off'to bottom in tight fittingdeepcorresponding depressions' in backing isy an end View of they 4 themembers 1 thoughy the plates 7 be adjusted to bear tightly against theresilient face' of The upper extremitiesmembers 6 of a color plate 7;lBy arrangement described the plate V7 isvertically adjustable buthorizontally secured between the longitudinal members 1 of the unit, andat the same time may be firmly supported throughout its area.

.f'lhe topl surfaces of .the Vupper flanges of the members 1 formlongitudinal track ways adapted to support a transfer roll 8 havingbearing wheels 9 preferably flanged as indicated. The medial portionofthe transfer roll. is generally cylindricalv and of length de-ypendent on the width of the plate V7 andv is surfaced throughout itscylindrical face with resilientV ink receiving material such as rubber.The face of the transferroll is interrupted as. at 10 through arelativelysmall portion of its circumference. Adjacent each bearingwheel 9 is a flange disk 11 having equally' spaced Yabout its peripheryla number ef inwardly extending projections l12 which lare preferably 1nthe form ofl rollers, as mdb Vfer roll; and the'rackplatesare so' spacedandf so contouredv at their ledge faces that the rollers 12, as thetransfer roll moves along the member 1, will travel in succession eachdown, around, andy up', the edge of one of the rack plates 13Ayduring'the lower-arc of its motion; and the' wheels 9 will alwaysbepositively maintained against their tracks Valong the transfer roll.Vrlhe transferroll is provided with a pair of axially arranged handles14: whereby the same may be moved along its bed.

It will be apparent that when any number ofV units are placed inalignment in end to end relation, in eect, a continuous press bed willbe formed, along. which the transferroll may .be moved to traverse insuccession.. the sev-` eralplates 7, the longitudinal members 1 of Veachunit terminating, of course, with respect to the spacing of the rackplates v13, so that kthe rack plate spacing along theentire length.

of the bed will be unvaried.

t will be understood also that the track lengthof each unit correspondsexactly with lone complete revolution of the transfer roll,

and the transfer roll is so timed on the track that vthe cut awayportion 10 thereof will fall as the roll traverses the bed, overadjoining unit ends, so that the cylindricalv face of the transfer rollas the same traverses the bed.

will make contact with the several yplates in succession andthroughoutvthe area of each. Y For each color plate an inkmg carriage 17Vis provided. Apreferred form of inking carriage is described in detailin copending application, Serial No. 242,7 89, filed of evendateherewith,` and it will suffice here to state thatl each inkingcarriage is providedwith a fountain ink container 18 and spacedtherebelow inlring'rollers 19 adapted to support the carriage as ittraverses the color plate and to deposit on the color plate ink` fromthe fountain, 'the frame of the inking carriage having downwardlyy'projecting fingers adapted as the carriage traverses f'the4 plate', tobear against theinner edges of the upper flanges yof members 1f tomaintain alignment of the carriage, and also having handles 2O wherebythe inking carriage may be moved.

It should be noted however that the inliing carriage is generally oftriangular section, vthe fountain at the apex and the two supportingyrollers at theequal base angles thereof; and the transferroll is insection correspondingly cut away in a sector thereof; so that clearancebetween the twoparts is obtained inthe least space possible.

Adjacent each end of each channel member 1 and secured between theflanges thereof is a vertical rod 15, and transversely extending betweeneach pair of rods is a supporting member 16. Each of the supportingmembers 16 is provided with a pair'of holes 21, and for each adj acentpair of supporting members on adj acently assembled lunits of the pressis provided an inking carriage bearing and elevating plate 22 having onits roller surface dowel pins adapted to fit the holes 21. Thetransverse dimension of each elevating plate is the same as that of thecolor plates, andthe longitudinaldimension of the bearing plate issubstantially the distance between adjacent color plates, and sufficientthat the inkin g carriage maybe loweredtherebetween.

Adjacent each supporting member and exe tending between thevcorresponding longitudinal members 1 is la shaft 23 having adjacent eachmember 1 a lever arm 24 to which is pivotally secured an actuating rod25 ex tendin0` downward of the ad'acent leo' 3 and C b terminating in apedal 26. Adjacent each lever 24 each rod 23 carries an arm 27 bearingat its outer or free extremity, by a pivotal connection, a bracketmember 28 having op positely disposed arms, one extending beneath eachadjacent supporting member. rlfhe outer arm of each bracket memberslightly weighted so that the inner arm of the same will bear againstthe adjacent supporting member 16 regardless nf the arrangement of thecorrespondingunitA relative to another unit.v Y

The proportion and arrangement of the parts such that when an inkingcarriage is resting upon a bearing lplate 22 the bearing plate will belowered to the position shown in Fig. 4 in' which position the transferroll will clear the inkingfcarriage; upon depression of any of the fouradjacent pedals 26 the bearing plate 22 will be elevated to the levelofthe faces of the color plates so that the inking carriage may belowered from the bearing plate onto either adjacent color plate.

The end units, bearing platen plates, are adapted to support, by theirintersecting leg braces, a roll 29, of paper to be printed upon, thefree end of the paper being brought up as indicated and preferably overa weighted roller 30, an idler roller 30a and back across the face ofthe platen plate, whereon it is secured in any convenient'manner. Aguard 31 is conveniently provided adjacent the idler roller 30a toprotect paper passing thereover from contact with any part of the inkingcarriage when the same rests upon the adjacent bearing plate 22; and asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, bearing plate means are provided only on theinner ends of the end units.

In place of the adjusting means l, provision is made for lowering theplaten plates 7 on the end units. Such provision may comprise a numberof transverse rock shafts 35 each mounted in longitudinal angle irons asindicated and carrying in the plane of each backing member 6 aneccentric 36 resting in a corresponding notch in thebaclring member. Asindicated in Fig. 6 one of the notches of each 'backing member litsclosely its corresponding eccentric 36, the other notches beinglongitudinally extended. Then while each backing plate is supported bythree eccentrics, adjustmentk of eccentrics to provide such backing maybe made. Each shaft 35 carries a pair of downwardly extending arms 37the lower extremities of the arms of each shaft being jointed by a rod38 terminating at the end of the unit in a handle 39. Preferably springs40 are arranged to maintain the parts with the platen plates 7 in anextreme elcvated position, which position is determined by adjustment ofstop bolts 411, so that paper will lie on the platen plate at the levelof the color plates.

i Provision also is made upon the end units for preventing running ofthe transfer roll off the bed, such provision being conveniently stopbolts 32 secured through longitudinal members 1 and adapted to engagethe projections 12, and the units may be secured together by conectingpieces extending longitudinally between corresponding bolts having headscountersunk to clear the projection 12.

Operation of my invention will be as follows: Supposing a. three colorjob is to be printed, five of the units are arranged as l El) the paperlying on the platen plate of the unit A is tojloe` produced, the unitk Bis provided with a color plate having .its working face cut away exceptin the area indicated in thecross hatching which represents, say thecolor or.- ange. The next color plate, upon the unit Cinsimilar mannerhas saya green working yface and is cut away through the remainder ofits surface, andv the D'unit is cut away eX- cept for the circle-portionof the design, which is, say, black. y Y f Foreach of the colorplateunits B, C, and D there is providedan inking carriage the ifountain 4vof which is filled with ink ofthe proper color; anda singletransfer roll 8 is arrangedto travel the length ofthe bed traversing asit does so, alliive of the plates. It will be understood that the raisedworking surface of the threecolor plates are properly flocated relativeto each other so thatk the three colors ofthe design will be picked upby .the

i ytransfer roll and laid upon thel paper resting on the 'platen plateslas indicated in Eig.` 1.

Suppose the press is to bemanipulated by sin" operators,'one manningeach handle 14 of the transferroll, one stationed'oneach side of thepressy for working the inkmg carriagesV and one upon each end ofthe'pressto control thepaper upon'y which the printing ris to be. fdone'A "-Suppose .also the parts in the position shown, in which; the paperon the A unithas received its printed impression thel transfer roll ismoving toward the Eri-nit, the 'C and D inking carriages arestationaryrthe D oar'- riage being now'beneath the transfer roll and theB carriage moving towardk the A unit.

The operators of the transfer rollffwhi-ch, since printing uponthe Aunit, has picked `up ink from the color plates of the B,'C and Dunits,-have simply tov continue the transfer roll in movement over thepaper on theplaten Vplate ofl theE unit, andthen reverse-Ghedirection ofmovement of the transfer vroll to.

return the saine tothe opposite endv ofthe press. A As the printingoperation is performed the platen plate is maintained in upper positionby the action ofthe spring .4() through the mechanism described. Duringreturn `movementiof the transfer roll across the platen plate the end-vunit Operator will pull upon the handley 39 to lower the paper fromcontact with the transfer roll. The paper lowermg movement of the platenplate having a 'component in the direction of the roll Vmovement', slack1n the paper during this movement.v is taken up by the free weight ofthe roll 30. As the transfer rollismoving to the right, Figi theoperators of the inking carriages move the same successively inthe.opposite direction 'each across its color plate.

Ink detail, to traverse aninking carriage across -its color plate, thecarriage being in lowered position, the inking carriage operators firstelevate the carria'getocolor plate' level by depressing each Vhisnearest pedal 26. The carriage is thenmoved by Ahand across thecolor-.plate and onto the bearing plate at the oppositeendfthereof,'which bearing plate by balance of the Vparts .is in upperposition. `As soon .however as. the

carriage rests entirely lupon the bearing' p` late the same is loweredby action.v of gravity;

c f As shown, thewB 'nkingcarria'ge being traversed across the B plate,and-this operation will be followed by corresponding mar .75 l.whereupon the carriage operators, proceed to thenext operation. Y

nipulation of the C and D inking carriages.

Meanwhile the printed paper on the A unit vwill be removed by theoperator thereof and replaced withfresh paper.

By the time the transfer roll:V reaches the y position indicated, butmoving tothe left,

1,-theD colorplate will have been inked and the inkingcarriage operatorswill remain relatively stationary, allowing the transferroll operatorsto pass between them. f From this point the operations'are reversed,

left forright, Fig. l, but'a're otherwise identical with thosedescribed; Y Y

it will thus be seen that a printing operation is completed with everycompleteV traversing stroke of thetransfer roll, and that the-completepress operating cycle embraces two traverses of the transfer roll the'length of the bed.v Where a fourth color visto be printed, as-forexample, a red background for the design shown, it would'simply benecessary to insert a fourth unitbetween the end'units, and provide thesame with a suitable fourthcolor plate; and likewise where merely a'twocolor job is desired theunit bearing the color plate corresponding tothecolor to be eliminated would simply be removed from the'series andtheremaining units closed up, or iffthethree colors were tobesubsequently restored in the job, the

`color plate to be temporarily eliminated could simply be lowered in itsunit.

'To make a'neater job as by ,trimming7 the relatively light orange andgreen colors, a unit bearing a color plate identical 'with the D colorplate could be inserted'between the A and B units,`whereupon theprinting operation would involve, regardless of the stroke directionof.the transfer roll, the laying Vof black ink over bothy the orange andgreen.

It will beunderstood that for each color plate a corresponding inkingcarriage is always provided; and that vif desired only one platen plateunitV may be employed, although of course, such larrangements woulddecrease by one half the printing'speed ofthe press.

It will be understood also that while I yhave shown each unit asequipped with means at each end for only partially supwould be possibleand within the scope of my invention to provide instead complete 'Yinking carriage bearing plate supporting means at one end only of eachunit; in which case however, the units would not ybe indiv viduallyreversible, left and riht, Fig. l, as

described.

vVhile for simplicity of illustration I have shown an arrangementadapted for hand operationv it is obvious that my invention embraces theprovision of power means for yierforming the operations described.

lvVhat'I claim is j' l. A printing unit of the class described,comprising a bed having longitudinally disposed ways adapted to joinwithout interruption the ways of a similar unit when said unit-s areplaced in end to end relation, and a plate on said bed, said ways beingadapted to guide and to regulate the movement of a transfer rolltherealong and across said plate.

2. A printing unit of the class described, comprising a bed havinglongitudinally disposed ways adapted to join withouty interruption theways of a similar unit when said units are placed in end to endrelation, a plate on said bed, said way-s being adapted to guide and toregulate the movement of a transfer roll therealong and across saidplate, inlring carriage supporting means associated with said bed, andmeans for moving said inlring carriage supporting` means to lower aninlring carriage supported thereby, whereby the same will be cleared bysaid roll, and to raise the carriage whereby the same may be moved toand from said plate.

8. A printing unit of the class described, comprising a bed havinglongitudinally disposed ways adapted to join without interruption theways of a similar unit when placed in end to end relation therewith, aplate on said bed, said ways being adapted to guide and to regulate themovement of a transfer roll therealong and across said plate, on eachend of said bed a supporting member adapted to support an end of aninlring carriage bearing plate, and means associated with each saidsupporting member for raising and lowering the same and ladapted tosimilarly move the adjacent supporting member of said vsimilar unitvwhen placed in said relation, whereby an inling carriage on a bearingplate resting on said adjacent supporting members may be lowered betweenthe plates of said units to be cleared by said roll as the roll is movedalong said ways from one unit to the other and whereby the inkingcarriage may be raised to the elevation of said plates and be moved toand from either thereof.

4f. In a printing press having a bed, a plurality of platesincludingcolor plates and a platen plate thereon and ways therealong, inkingmeans for each color plate comprising an inlring carriage arranged totraverse the plate and to ink the same thereby, inlring carriagesupporting means between adjacent plates, a transfer roll arranged tomove along said ways across said plates, and means for moving saidsupporting means for lowering and raising an inking carriage thereonwhereby when lowered the carriage may be passed by said transfer roll,and when raised the carriage may be moved between supporting means andplate.

5. In a printing press having ways and a roll movable therealong over aprinting plate, peripherally spaced laterally extending projections onsaid roll, and rack plates spaced along said ways and having edgescorresponding with the paths of movement of said projections andengageable with the same to vpositively corelate the rotational movementof the roll and its transitional movement along the ways.

6. In a printing press having ways and a roll movable therealong over aprinting plate, said ways having roll supporting faces and said rollhaving flange portions extending therebelow, peripherally spacedprojections on said flange portions, and rack plates spaced along saidways and having edges corresponding with the paths of movement of saidprojections and engageable with the same to regulate the movement of theroll along the ways and to maintain bearing of the roll against thesupporting faces.

7. In a printing press having ways and a roll movable therealong over aprinting plate, projections located on said roll to move beyond thepitch line of rolling movement, and rack plate means associated withsaid ways to lie between said projections and said pitch line duringsaid rolling movement, whereby bearing of the roll upon the plate ispositively maintained.

8. In a printing press of the class described and having a bed, and aprinting roll and inlring means movable therealong, means associatedwith said bed for receiving said inking means and for moving the same toclear said printing roll whereby said roll may pass said inking means.

9. In a printing device having ways and a roll movable therealong over aprinting plate, means for positively regulating rotational roll movementdependent upon its transitional movement, said means being arranged topositively maintain bearing of the roll upon the plate.

In testimony whereof I hereby aiX my signature.

HARRISON CALVIN RYAN.

